Bounce
by elfluvr
Summary: COMPLETE It all probably started on Day One when he noticed how attractive she was and then discovered she was also bright and sharp witted. Sequel to Sexual Kinetics and Chanel No. 5. More sexual tension than plot.
1. Chapter 1

Title: **Bounce**

Author: elfluvr

Summary: It all probably started on day one when he noticed how attractive she was and then discovered she was also bright and sharp-witted. Sequel to "Sexual Kinetics" and "Chanel No. 5."

Disclaimer: See previous stories.

Archive: Anywhere else, just ask

Feedback: Always welcome.

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A/N – So fluffy I had to name it after a dryer sheet. Actually, the title does somewhat relate to the story, and to quote Bobby Goren, "It's nice … how that worked out." This is a lot of writing (2 chapters) about nothing, so I'm not sure what I've accomplished here other than to get my muse to shut up for awhile.

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**Bounce **–Chapter 1

As soon as he opened the door to the club, the sheer volume of the music was enough to knock Bobby back on his heels. He decided to risk permanent hearing impairment because he knew he'd find her here. This was where she came when she needed to burn off nervous energy – or wanted to blot out the world with mind-numbing sound.

Some rap song was playing. He thought it was the one by that kid … what did Eames call him? _M&M?_ Whatever – she liked to blast it whenever it came on the radio, before Bobby had a chance to change the station.

_You better lose yourself in the music, the moment  
You own it, you better never let it go  
You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow  
This opportunity comes once in a lifetime yo_

He spotted her on the crowded dance floor with a group of women. Eames enjoyed dancing, but in this mob the most anyone could do was bounce up and down. During the hook she'd pump her fist in the air then – in a move he always loved to watch – she would place her palm flat on her pelvis and slide her hips in time to the beat. Something about that always got to him.

Standing there watching her, Bobby debated whether this was such a good idea. Eames had a pretty wicked aim with her knee.

In her other hand was her drink. Small glass with a swizzle stick. Figures it couldn't be something a little more tame, like beer or wine. Bobby ended his debate. It still may not be a good idea, but he was going to get her out of there and make sure she got home safely.

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"I was having fun in there! Why'd you pull me out?"

She'd been shocked when he walked up behind her and put his hand at the small of her back. But Eames' surprise quickly turned into a tug-of-war between them – her trying to get him to dance, him trying to get her to leave. The game had him grinning and her laughing until two of her dance friends decided to try their luck at tempting Bobby to stay. Eames abruptly gave up and headed toward the bar, draining her glass on the way.

He caught up with her before she reached her destination, placed his hands on her shoulders and steered her toward the door. She turned to say something he knew was a protest, but thankfully in all the noise he couldn't hear her. Bobby snagged the glass out of her hand and dropped it on the nearest table.

All of which left him standing here on the sidewalk trying to gauge what level of shit he was in – he thought maybe it wasn't too deep. On Eames' anger scale, he would say anywhere from 'slightly annoyed' to 'irritated.'

"I didn't 'pull' you out of there."

"Alright then … pushed." She crossed her arms in front of her and Bobby allowed himself the space of a heartbeat to appreciate the extra display of cleavage in the vee of her sleeveless sweater.

"I didn't push either," he objected, but when she raised her eyebrows and gave him 'that look,' he had to admit he didn't have a leg to stand on. "Okay, okay … maybe I … I pushed a little," he conceded. "You could use some coffee instead … you have work tomorrow."

"And? Who appointed you my keeper?" Eames was grumbling, but she didn't really sound all that pissed.

"You seemed … upset … when you left work."

For a moment he thought she was going to try to deny it – she had that stubborn set to her jaw. But then her eyes softened in defeat. With a sigh, Alex stuffed her hands in her jeans pockets, outlining just how well they fit. Her navel peeked above the waist and Bobby wondered briefly how many times he'd imagined licking that sensitive dimple in her flesh.

Alex leaned against the wall of the club and tipped her head back to the bricks. "I told David I didn't want to see him anymore."

He'd thought maybe it was something like that. "Was that before or after the flowers?"

A huge vase filled with a riot of colors had been delivered that morning. One look at Alex's face as she was reading the card told Bobby not to ask. When he walked back into One PP after lunch, he'd spotted the vase on the front reception desk.

"Before."

"Ah," he nodded. He had a sinking feeling about where this was going. "And now he's trying to win you back."

"Hardly," she gave him a wry smile. "The card basically said, 'I understand. Have a good life.'" Alex pushed off from the wall and started walking, luckily in the direction of the coffee shop he had in mind.

Bobby fell in step beside her. "I'm sorry," he lied.

"Really? 'Cuz I got the distinct impression you didn't like him very much."

He hesitated a moment, surprised she'd caught on to that. "But you did."

"At first." She angled her eyes toward him briefly then looked straight ahead.

They walked in silence and it gave Bobby time to think. When had he first started having these thoughts about his partner? Sure, it had gotten worse the past couple of months, but it started long before that night in the conference room. It was hard to pick a point in time because it had been such a gradual process, building on little things. Like realizing how sexy she looked wearing red. Or being aware of the curve of her hip when she stood beside his chair reading a case file on his desk. Maybe it was the first time he'd seen her in snug-fitting jeans at an inter-city softball game.

And maybe a more important question was when had he started having these _feelings_ for his partner? Was it when he first realized that she understood him, and vehemently stood by him anyway? The first time they clicked so well in an interrogation you'd have thought they rehearsed the whole thing ahead of time. Maybe it was the first time he'd seen her cry – at Officer Davis' funeral when his widow collapsed beside his coffin in the church and sobbed out her grief.

Hell, it all probably started on day one when he couldn't help but notice how attractive she was and then discovered she was also bright and sharp-witted. Right then and there he should have requested a new male partner. It might have been worth the discrimination law suit.

_TBC …_


	2. Chapter 2

**Bounce** – Chapter 2

"Sometimes I really hate being a cop, you know?"

They'd walked about two blocks when Alex broke the silence. "The hours suck. You have no personal life. And almost every day we get to visit the dark side."

A breeze lifted Alex's hair in front of her eyes and Bobby's fingers itched to reach out and tuck it behind her ear. Instead, her own hand came up to sweep it out of the way and once again reveal the line of tiny earrings studding the delicate curve.

"And just when you think it can't get any worse … it does," she interrupted him contemplating the taste of the soft skin just behind her ear. "No wonder guys don't hang around too long."

"Eames … unless you've been lying all these years, it seems to me you're the one always telling them it's over."

"Yeah … but they usually look relieved when I tell them."

"Oh, come on," Bobby groaned. He found it hard to believe that any of the jerks Alex tended to date would willingly let go of her.

"No, it's true. It's different for you, Bobby." She started walking backwards so she could face him. _Guess she didn't have as much to drink as I thought._ "I'll bet all the women you date think it's wonderful that you're a cop. It fits the whole 'hero' thing – some big, strong man to protect them." When Alex turned around to walk beside him her hand accidentally brushed his thigh, further encouraging the rebellious arousal he'd been battling since they left the club. Fortunately his moan came out sounding like a strangled cough.

"Men may think it's kind of cool when they first find out what I do for a living," she glanced at him to make sure he was okay, "but they don't really want to know much about it. The more they find out, the more uneasy they get …" Alex paused, distracted by a '69 Camaro parked at the curb. She walked to the car and bent over to peek in the windows. Bobby stayed where he was and enjoyed the view.

"Nice car," he commented as they started walking again.

"Lewis would love it," she smiled. Now why did that comment combined with her smile make him think she knew exactly what he had been looking at?

"You know, I've actually met some guys who _like_ that I have my own handcuffs and carry a gun every day," Alex was back on topic. "But they're kinda scary."

Bobby chuckled. "When the right guy comes along, it won't matter what you do ... what will matter is who you are."

A flash of irritation replaced her smile. "Nice sentiment, Bobby … you should write greeting cards," Alex muttered and started to walk away from him.

"Eames." Bobby grabbed her arm and stopped her. His hand rested there longer than necessary. Her skin was soft and warm beneath his palm, and Bobby couldn't resist leaving a caress with his thumb before removing his hand. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to … trivialize what you're feeling."

Alex swallowed hard and quickly looked away. "Forget it," she shrugged, the movement drawing his attention to the line of her collar bone where it disappeared beneath her sweater. Another area his tongue would like to explore.

_Stop thinking about all those warm, fragrant places on her body and pay attention here!_ Something beyond his ill-timed bad advice was really bothering Alex. She caught her bottom lip between her teeth and wouldn't quite look him in the eye.

"Eames …?" he hesitated, not sure he wanted to know the answer to his question. "Is this … about Sullivan?"

She shook her head, squinting off at some point beyond his shoulder. "Bobby, I think I had it right the first time," she spoke quietly to the night air. "The only type of man who's ever going to understand and accept what I do is another cop." Her eyes finally met his – pensive and questioning – before once again sliding away.

_What are you saying, Alex? _Bobby frowned. _What do you want me to say?_ He could read people so well – was legendary for it in some circles. But Alex could mystify him. All these years of working together, she'd learned his tricks and knew how to hide from his perception.

What he could figure out was that she blamed herself for her failed relationships. And although Bobby would confess to a bias on the subject, she really did make some pretty sketchy choices in men. Not that they were criminals or anything, usually … just not right for her. She needed to understand that.

"Alex," his rare use of her first name felt good on his tongue – intimate. "What you said earlier … about this job taking a toll on our personal lives … that's true. But at the risk of sounding like I work for Hallmark," Bobby dipped his head to catch her eye, "the type of man who'll understand and … accept what you do … will be the man who loves you no matter what. Being a cop would just be … incidental."

A moment – no more than a few seconds. Alex's eyes revealed a range of emotions. Doubt … uncertainty … hope. Those he understood. Those he could deal with. But there was something else, something he recognized because he knew it for himself. He just didn't think he could share it with her – yet.

Alex must have seen something in his face, because suddenly she relaxed and the corner of her mouth curled in a tease. "So … someday I may hear the words, 'I love you ... and incidentally, I'm a cop.'"

Bobby sighed with relief, knowing that she had just given him an easy out. "Something like that," he smiled. "C'mon, the coffee shop is just up the block."

They'd almost reached the shop when out of the blue Alex asked, "So … have any more personal care advice?"

"Wha-what?"

"Perfume." Alex raised her hand to rub her thumb against her index and middle fingers.

"Oh … ah … no." He had to look away to hide the flush of heat that would surely show in his eyes.

Bobby vividly remembered that night in the squad room. The whole 'perfume lecture' had come about because he needed a distraction from the boredom of endless paperwork. And Alex seemed desperately in need of some teasing – or so he told himself.

So he'd made shit up as he went along. Although there was probably enough truth in what he said to make it seem plausible, Bobby had no idea what may or may not be taught in courtesan schools in France.

But what started as teasing had quickly turned … provocative. Almost immediately Alex reacted to his suggestive words and gestures. And, in what seemed to be a pattern lately, Bobby's body reacted to her.

He'd been fascinated by how easily his hand held her attention. He'd seen the slight tremble in her fingers before she had a chance to lace them on her knee. Leaning close to her, he smelled her scent – the one he now always sought beneath her shampoo and perfume. When he purposely drew her gaze to his mouth, her eyes had darkened and in them was the reflection of his own longing. The pulse at the hollow of her throat raced and he'd felt a dangerous tightening in his body. Alex's tongue darted from her mouth to lick her lips then disappeared, and Bobby knew he just had to find it with his own. And then the phone rang, bringing reality with it.

He couldn't go on like this. Sooner or later he would have to jump to one side or the other of this fence he'd been walking for far too long. Should he talk to her and confront his feelings? Find out if she had the same of her own? Potentially risk everything they currently had? Or should he keep everything locked inside and stop playing with fire?

And then there was another question hanging in the air. Why did she even mention that night in the squad room? _Interesting_.

"You know Eames …" _Because it's always fun to dance a little too close to the flame. _"Keep yourself open to possibilities. The guy you're looking for may already be hanging around … just waiting for the right time."

Bobby took a few steps before he realized Alex was no longer beside him. He turned to see her stopped dead in her tracks, head tilted and an unreadable expression on her face.

"And when might that be, Bobby?"

_Burned_.

_She knows. _Or at least suspects. And why wouldn't she? In the past couple of months he'd done everything short of pinning her against a wall with his body and doing all those things he'd imagined would make her move beneath him and moan her pleasure.

He licked his lips with a suddenly dry tongue and felt a bead of sweat trail down his side. This time it wouldn't be so easy to bounce back from the heat of the flame.

_You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow  
This opportunity comes once in a lifetime yo_

Ah, hell! Now he had to decide whether to take his time and ease himself over the side of the fence or jump in feet first.

"Soon, Eames. Very soon."

_End_


End file.
